Enhancing student well-being and success through AI-driven mental-health support: A case study of AI mental-health chatbot implementation at a South African university Go matlafatša go phela gabotse ga moithuti le katlego ka thekgo ya tša maphelo a monagano yeo e sepetšwago ke AI: Tshepedišo ya nyakišišo ya go tsenya tirišong ga lenaneo la khomphutha la poledišano ya tša maphelo a monagano ya AI yunibesithing ya Afrika Borwa

Abstract

Mental health is a critical determinant of student success in higher education. University students continue to face significant psychological challenges, including anxiety, stress, and trauma, issues further intensified by the Covid-19 pandemic. These realities underscore the need for accessible, scalable, and technology-driven mental-health interventions. This study investigates the implementation of Wysa, an AI-powered mental-health chatbot, at a South African higher education institution (HEI). Through a mixed-methods design, the research draws on secondary dashboard analytics and primary user survey data to evaluate adoption rates, engagement patterns, and the nature of interventions accessed. Results reveal that AI-driven mental-health tools can offer costeffective, confidential, and scalable support to students, with evidence of meaningful usage across diverse student groups. However, amongst some student cohorts, adoption is uneven, influenced by the students’ academic disciplines, help-seeking behaviours, and concerns related to data privacy and trust. The study concluded with practical recommendations for integrating AI chatbots into institutional support services, advocating for a blended care model and student-centred digital mental-health strategies suited to the African higher education context.

Maphelo a monagano ke sehlodi se bohlokwa sa katlego ya moithuti thutong ya godimo. Baithuti ba yunibesithi ba tšwela pele go lebeletšana le ditlhohlo tše dikgolo tša monagano, go akaretša tlabego, kgatelelo ya monagano, le letšhogo, mathata ao a okeditšwego ke leuba la Covid-19. Dinnete tše di gatelela tlhokego ya ditsenogare tšeo di ka fihlelelwago, tšeo di ka katološwago, gape tša maphelo
a monagano ao a sepetšwago ke theknolotši. Nyakišišo ye e nyakišiša go tsenya tirišong ga Wysa, Lenaneo la khomphutha la poledišano ya tša maphelo a monagano la bokgoni bja khomphutha bja go dira ditiro la go matlafatšwa ke (AI), go sehlongwa sa thuto ya godimo (HEI) sa Afrika Borwa. Ka moakanyetšo wa mekgwa wya go hlakahlakana, nyakišišo e šomiša diphetleko tša tešepoto tša bobedi tša datha ya phatišišo ya modiriši ya mathomo go lekanyetša dikelo tšeo di amogelwago, dipaterone tša dipoledišano, le mokgwa wa ditsenogare tšeo di fihleletšwego. Dipoelo di utulla gore didirišwa tša maphelo a monagano di ka fana ka thekgo go baithuti yeo e sa bitšego, ya sephiri, gape ya katološo, ka bohlatse bja tirišo ya kwagalo go seleganya dihlopha tša baithuti ba go fapafapana, Le ge go le bjalo, magareng ga dihlopha tše dingwe tša baithuti, kamogelo ga e lekalekane, moo go tutuetšwago ke dithupišo tša thuto tša baithuti, mekgwa ya go tsoma thušo, gammogo le matshwenyego a go amana le datha ya sephiri le tshepo. Nyakišišo e feleletša ka ditšhišinyo tša go tlwaelega tša go tswalanya lenaneo la khomphutha la poledišano la AI le ditirelo tša tša thekgo tša sehlongwa, go šišinya mottlolo wa tlhokomelo yeo e kopantšwego le maano a tša maphelo a monagano a titšithale ao a lebišitšwego go moithuti ao a swanelago kamano ya thuto ya godimo ya seAfrika.